Rehoboth School To Cooperate With British

Published by Dec 05, 2006

Four representatives from two Namibian rural senior secondary schools on Saturday
left for London on a week-long cultural exchange and partnership programme.

The selected Namibian senior secondary schools that will represent the country
at a partnering workshop under the auspices of the British Council in Namibia
are Okahandja Secondary School and Dr Lemmer Secondary School at Rehoboth.

“We are very excited and look forward to working together in the education
field with our British counterparts. Topics to be discussed during the programme
include the different cultures of our countries and twinning partnerships with
two British schools,” said Christy Rispel, a teacher for many years at
Okahandja Secondary School, before the group’s departure on Saturday in
an interview.

Rispel’s school will be partnering he Bowring Secondary School in London
and Dr Lemmer Secondary school is set to twin up with Brookfield Secondary School,
also in London.

“I think this is a very much-needed educational exercise for both our
countries to understand each other’s education systems and cultures better
to the benefit of our learners, perpetually yearning for new educational information.
It would make a lot of sense to me if and when practical exchanges between learners
and teachers of our respective schools start hopefully within the next year,”
said Rispel, a playwright specifically interested in British educational theatre.

Schools from other African countries taking part in the programme include:
Kenya, Nigeria, Botswana, Sierra Leone and Mozambique.

“I am confident that we all will learn through this exercise and enrich
ourselves with a broader educational vision,” said Rispel, the head of
Afrikaans at the Okahandja school, who will be back in the country early next
week.